Back in the 80’s, the Reagan administration had this great idea of reassigning chunks of radio frequencies so more areas would be freed up and could be sold off. With this plan, public safety was moved to the 800mhz range. With this new radio range new technology had to come into play. Essentially public safety was moved to a cell phone type system, which requires more towers and signal penetration isn’t as great on.

20 some years later and this move is about complete. We are also starting to see the bad effects of it:

Hamilton County firefighters hate a communication system that taxpayers spent $35 million on because it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do when they’re in a burning building: Let them talk to each other.

The radio failures – which some firefighters say happen daily – played a role in the death of two Colerain Township firefighters nearly two years ago and local fire chiefs say if a solution isn’t found other firefighters’ lives are at risk.

The issued surfaced again last week when radio problems resulted in near miss for Cincinnati Firefighter Kevin Phillips who fell down a set of stairs, which knocked his helmet and air mask loose, causing him to become disoriented.

To see where the failures actually occurred:

The issue came to the forefront in April 2008, when Colerain fire Capt. Robin Broxterman and firefighter Brian Schira died in a blaze on Squirrel’s Nest Lane. A review of the radio calls made during the fire showed the firefighters repeatedly made mayday calls, which were never transmitted.

“I don’t think the full impact or level of concern (about the issue) was realized until we were able to see the radio call log from the Squirrel’s Nest fire,” said Colerain Fire Chief Bruce Smith.

Broxterman’s parents are suing over the fatal fire, naming in the lawsuit among others, Motorola.

I had the very unpleasant experience of being in the basement of a fully engulfed house fire once. Luckily me and my partner made it out just as the ceiling was coming in. I can tell you first hand that it is truly hell on earth. Now imagine being down there and your life line to the outside world has the reliability of a cell phone. You keep trying to call out, but that call is dropped. That’s what happened here and two firefighters paid the ultimate price.

The same thing was seen during Katrina also. Radio communication failures were considered a big issue, but these type of problems are the epitome of failure when it comes to the 800mhz radio range. For these radios to function they rely upon what’s called repeaters, which are the same as cell phone towers. Because of the high range a lot of these towers are needed. When you have a city like New Orleans totally flooded out, then these towers no long work. That means the radios no longer work. Now that most of the nation’s public safety agencies have completed the move, we can expect to see these kind of failures become increasingly common.

I was always opposed to this move since entering the fire service back in 89. Public safety should have been allowed to remain on the current frequencies, which were reliable for decades. Force companies to spend money to move to the higher frequencies, but let the firefighters and police remain where it is safe. Also think of the money this Reagan plan cost you and me as taxpayers. Cincinnati isn’t that big of an area and it cost them $35 million alone just to make the move. We are paying for this so corporate America doesn’t have to. Again – thanks Reagan.

(For full disclosure I knew one of the fallen firefighters above, Robin Broxterman. Her mother, who has filed the lawsuit, was also my paramedic instructor back in the 90’s.)